House Democratic leaders on 5 November announced that they would delay voting on a $1.75 trillion “Build Back Better” reconciliation bill (H.R. 5376) that includes more than $1.5 trillion in business, international, and individual tax increase provisions. A group of moderate House Democrats insisted that a vote on the bill should be held only after the Congressional Budget Office reports on the total cost of the legislation. Additional offsets include increased IRS enforcement measures and savings from the repeal of a Medicare prescription drug rebate rule.
The House late on 5 November did vote 228 to 206 to pass without change a $1.2 trillion Senate-approved bipartisan infrastructure bill (H.R. 3684), which includes revenue-raising provisions dealing with cryptocurrency and a Superfund excise tax on chemicals. The infrastructure bill reauthorizes current federal surface transportation programs and provides $550 billion for new spending on highways, bridges, waterways, transit, airports, the electric grid, and broadband. The House’s action clears that bill for expected signing by President Joe Biden.
Progressive House Democrats agreed to support passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill in exchange for a commitment from moderate House Democrats to hold a House vote on passage of a $1.75 trillion budget reconciliation bill no later than the week of 15 November.
